iPhone 8 Review: Features, Specification and Pricing

Apple’s representatives took the stage in a mega event on September 12 where they made all the important announcements on everything that Apple has launched. And among those announcements, the most important was that of new iPhone line that Apple has introduced. Yes, Apple has introduced three new iPhones namely iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. The news of three latest iPhone models might not be too surprising for many as it’s come after months of speculations and rumors. However, what might have surprised iPhone enthusiasts is the fact that Apple skipped not just iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models but also iPhone 9 as well. Apple called two of the low-end iPhone models as iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus while the high-end release was said as iPhone X – in relevance to the fact that it’s iPhone’s 10th anniversary release.

Coming back to the iPhone 8 models, there are still plenty of features that are worth talking about this new iPhone models despite the fact that it is the low-end iPhone to come this year. So, let’s dig a bit deeper into iPhone 8 features and find out what exactly does this new iPhone comes equipped with.

The first new thing that anyone buying the iPhone 8 will notice is the fact that new iPhone features a glass design. There is reinforced glass used both the front and the back of the new iPhone and, as said and heard, this change is basically for introducing the new wireless charging feature in the new iPhones. So, Apple has chosen to introduce glass into all three of its new iPhones. And, it’s for the first time after iPhone 4 that glass is used in the body of an iPhone. However, this time it is far sturdier than what we had years ago.

As for the display of new iPhone 8, we have Retina HD True Tone display in both the standard and Plus models. This True Tone thing is the same that Apple first introduced in its iPad Pro 9.7” models. What it actually does is that it manages white balance of your iPhone display according to the lighting in your surroundings. As far as display size is concerned, we have 4.7” display in iPhone 8 and the Plus model gets 5.5” display.

The new iPhone 8 comes equipped with a dual lens 12MP rear camera with autofocus and OIS capabilities. There are quite a few interesting capabilities that your new iPhone camera has to offer and on top of them all is the simultaneous 8MP image and 4K video recording. Both the front and the rear cam also have face detection capabilities as well.

Besides, the camera supports deeper pixels and an all-new color filter to offer best photos. There is also a Portrait Lightning mode introduced in the camera app. It will, basically, help iPhone users to capture photos in which the images actually stand out from their background.

Wireless charging capabilities now come to iPhones as well with new iPhones following Qi wireless charging standard. With wireless charging now available on iPhones, you will just have to put your device on a charging pad in order to charge it. There are no wires or cables involved at all. There are charging pads available from Mophie and Belkin already in the market. So, if your iPhone is just about to arrive, get one of these third-party charging pad for your device.

New iPhones are really going to be amongst the most powerful devices Apple has ever introduced. All the three new iPhones come equipped with an all-new A11 SoC chip. It is basically the incremental upgrade from A10 that we had in previous iPhone 7 models. The chip gives your new iPhone all the power that it needs for processing heavier graphics and opens it up lots of new features.

As Apple has long been working on VR and AR, it has finally decided to hand you over an AR-capable new iPhone. In fact, the A11 chip that new iPhones feature is considered the standard for iPhones to support AR with all its powerful capabilities. These custom-calibrated iPhones extend support for immersive graphics @ 60fps. Also, the new iOS 11 comes in to support AR apps on the new iPhone 8 models.

Yes, you’ve heard it right! New iPhone 8 still comes with an iPhone 7-style Home button. The rumors about Home button going away are true as well but that’s for iPhone X model only. So, iPhone 8 still has a home button and uses Touch ID as its security feature as well.

You’d say it was Apple’s breakthrough feature that had long been expected but, just hold on, Apple promised to introduce Face ID in its next high-end iPhone release and it has done that as well. Face ID comes to iPhone X and it’s just that it has changed the naming scheme for iPhones this time around which is causing all the confusion. So, in iPhone 8 we still have the same unlocking mechanism as we had in iPhone 7 and Touch ID does a fine job there.

iPhone 8 is available for $699 and has already started shipping. It’s quite a cheap alternative to the expensive, high-end, iPhone X release from Apple. We must say you really get what you pay for and iPhone 8 doesn’t lag behind too much either.

So, that’s all we have got for you on the latest iPhone 8 release from Apple. The new iPhone is already out there and we must say it’s worth a buy with all its new features and unique offerings. Go grab one for yourself!

iPhones are known to be one of the most popular phones ever and Apple provides one of the best services in the world to its customers. But at the end of the day, these are still devices, and devices are unpredictable. You never know when the data on your iPhone corrupts or your entire iPhone crashes. One of the best ways or rather, one of the most crucial ways to keep your information safe is to have backup.
Backup of your device at regular intervals is important to safeguard your data. Corruption can occur anytime, either completely or partially and that is why backing up becomes essential.

How to backup iPhone data?

There are two main ways through which you can backup your iPhone data:

Using a computer: You can store all your data as a backup in your personal computer. Apple products are known to have unfriendly relations with other devices when it comes to connectivity but your computer need not necessarily be Macbook or an iMac to take the backup of your phone. Since you need iTunes software for backup and iTunes is available for both Mac and Windows, it becomes for the users to safeguard their data.
All you need to do is install iTunes on your system. Then open it and login with your Apple ID. Once iTunes is open, connect your iPhone to the system. Make sure that the phone’s power is on. Once a phone is successfully connected, click on ‘File’ option on the top corner menu in iTunes Window and choose Devices. Now you will be able to see all the information about your device including its serial name and the amount of memory in it. Just near it, you will find a button ‘Backup my Phone’ click on it and all your phone’s backup will be automatically taken by iTunes

Using iCloud: As you know, through iCloud we can save our data on off-site servers, access it from anywhere and save our local storage. Apple has its own Cloud storage service called iCloud. The only thing you need to back up your files in iCloud is a good internet connection. One small drawback with iCloud is that only 5GB data storage space is free. If you want to expand this space, there are extra charges for it. But iCloud is a safer way to store as there is no chance of losing data by system crash or malfunction. To back up your data to iCloud, you need to go to Settings, select iCloud and login to it. Then you can select all those apps whose data you want on the iCloud.

Issues with iTunes in Windows
iTunes sometimes might crash or not work on a Windows operating system. In the earlier version like Vista and XP the issue was prevalent but now with so many updates the issues have been very rare in Windows 10. But yet if you face issues running iTunes on Windows, here are few things which you can try to resolve the issue.

1. Check for updates of iTunes for Windows. If there are any new updates, install them and then try running the program. This would solve the issue.2. If there are no updates available and it shows issues, then you can try running iTunes in safe mode to see if it is the App issue or the system issue. If it works perfectly fine in the safe mode, then uninstalling the plugins should resolve the problem.3. You can disconnect your computer from the internet and try opening the iTunes again

The simplest thing to do would be to restart the computer and try to open iTunes

If you did take your backup through iTunes or iCloud, then you can directly restore your backup.

When you connect your phone to your system through iTunes, you will get an option to restore the backup right next to the ‘create backup’ option. But what if the backup files iTunes created have been corrupted or affected by the virus? All your phone data is in those backup files and without them you really cannot recover your data.

There is no manual way to recover iTunes backed files but you can take the help of a third party tool for that. There are many tools available in the market that can help you out with this, but we strongly recommend Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery for iOS. This amazing software can recover lost or deleted data from all iPhones such as 6s,6, 5s, 5, 4s and 4 as well. It supports iOS 6.x, 7.x, 8.4, 9.0 and above versions. It can recover contacts, photos, iMessages, notes, reminders and even WhatsApp messages. It has a very easy-to-use interface and it recovers data quickly.

The year 2015 has been quite a bummer in terms of new launches of #smartphones, but the tech savvies need to hold their breaths for the upcoming releases due in late-2015/early-2016 because the best is yet to come. The smartphone market is about to get blown away with the upcoming smartphones in 2016, as the biggest names of the industry prepare themselves for the ultimate showdown and are all pumped up about launching their flagship devices well in time. So if you are looking forward to buying a new smartphone these days, you better hold that thought for a while because the smartphone industry giants are about to jump on the bandwagon in the Q4 2015 and Q1 2016.

Rumor has it that the new #smartphones coming out in the forthcoming period of time will have a transformative impact on the market. The pre-launch hype has already generated immense enthusiasm and excitement in the hearts of smartphones enthusiasts all around the world. Once these smartphones are released they are likely to take the market by storm and will be available for sale online on Ebay, alibaba, Kaymu and on a number of bricks and mortar stores. The leading online websites in different countries like Amazon, flip kart and many others will be offering a vast range of new smartphones of 2016 following their releases.

To help you with your decision, we have rounded up the much anticipated smartphones due to be launched in the upcoming season. Take a look at the best of smartphone tech that haven’t been launched yet and get ready to be blown away with the next big thing to envy. Continue to read for having an insight into the future of new phones by Apple, HTC, Nexus, Samsung and Sony.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Samsung S7 Edge

This year, Samsung has gained huge popularity with Galaxy S6 brilliant smartphones. The coming year will be yet another feather in the cap for Samsung as the company will be aiming towards embarking upon new heights of success. It is rumored that Samsung Galaxy S7 will be unveiled at a special global event somewhere around the first quarter of 2016, with it going on sale probably two-four weeks after it’s official release. We will also be seeing Galaxy Samsung Edge S7 being launched potentially alongside Samsung Galaxy S7.

The next generation of Sam mobiles are predicted to offer a wide range of highly advanced features as compared to the previous S6 phones. The current leaks suggest that Samsung fans can expect a 5.2 inch and 5.8 inch wide display in the upcoming releases. There are also rumors circulating the market that these devices will have the fastest 2.9-GHz Octa-core processor which will be much better than the 1.5GHz Octa-core processor being offered in the previous S6 smartphones. Samsung claims one of its phones come with a flat display while the other one will have a dual curved display. These phones are said to have a massive 4GB of RAM which is more than the 3GB RAM being offered in the previous S6 model. The storage capacity will be available in multiples of 16GB, 32GB, 64 GB and 124 GB. It is rumored that in contrast 16 MP and 5MP cameras of S6, the upcoming series of Galaxy phones will have a 30-MP and 7 MP front and back cameras for capturing incredibly vibrant photos. However the most interesting feature to watch out for will be it’s innovative folding capability. The Samsung S7 will be equipped with the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. More catchy innovations may include a USB type- C charging/data port and either Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or an Exynos 8890 processor. Altogether these phones will have everything phone mavens are expecting from the smartphones of 2016.

Nexus 5X

The Nexus 5X is definitely the one to look out for if you are in the market for a new smartphone. Since the previous Nexus 6 failed to impress the users because of it’s many apparent flaws, Google is now hedging its bets with the release of a new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P to math every requirement. These new phone are made by LG and feature a 5.2 inch full HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor which is a lot faster than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor being used in the previous model. Unlike Nexus 6, these phones are relatively light-weight because of having a plastic body along with a very sleek and stylish design. The 12.3- and 5Mp rear front and back cameras on Nexus 5X have a pretty large pixel size and capture great images. Alongside the aforementioned features, the phone has 2GB RAM, 16-32 GB internal storage capacity, a USB Type-C charging port, a rear fingerprint scanner plus a front-facing speaker. The operating system is Android 6.0 Marshmallow which is the best OS till date. These phones also make an excellent choice for all the smartphone savvies.

HTC One M10

Though HTC has made a name for itself with it’s flagship One series, but it’s latest HTC One M9 did not prove to be among the best smartphones of 2015. Following poor sales of HTC One M19, the hottest rumor in town is that HTC could launch its successor HTC One M10 during the last Quarter of 2015. Users can expect a wide range of new and exciting features from this new offspring of One phone series such as a wide, bright screen, a faster Snapdragon 810 or the newer 820 processor, 2-3GB of RAM, a metallic frame and two large front- facing speakers.

Sony Xperia Z5

The release of Sony Xperia Z3+ set new standards of technology and innovation in the smartphone market with record-breaking sales. The new Sony Xepria Z 5 is predicted to be the best flagship the users have been anticipating since they got to experience Sony Xperia Z3. This phones will be surely giving a tough time to the competitors with it’s OmniBalance design, waterproofed bodies, fingerprint sensors and many other new and exciting features such as Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM inside, a brilliant 23Mp camera, and a microSD support up to a whopping 200GB.

IPhone 7

IPhone will prove to a serious threat to all the major competitors. It will be offering a number of groundbreaking and innovative features. These phones will have everything you have been hoping for in the smartphones of the future. A highly advanced integrated projector will be included through which you can easily display presentation slides. The phones will be able to store more charge as a result of the organic material being used in the batteries. This device is impossible to break because of being covered in a Liquidmetal Case. However, the most astonishing feature of the phone will be the “The Protective Mechanism for Electronic Device” which protects the display against accidents. The quad-core processor and 20-MP rear iSight camera are also among IPhone 7’s many amazing features.

According to 2016 Smart Phone forecasts, the coming year will be a promising one for the smartphone manufacturers and users. With the upcoming releases of flagship and new mobiles entering the market, the future of smartphone tech in 2016 is likely to reach the pinnacle of success due to the cutting-edge technological advancements in smartphone features and specs.

Is Apple OS X Yosemite Just Eye Candy or Life Changing?

In 2014 Apple released OS X 10.10 and called it Yosemite, after dismissing Weed as a probable name. They have henceforth decided to name the OS on places in the US which is a welcome change from names based on cannibals. So, has Yosemite brought about some significant changes or is it just old wine served in a new bottle. Read on to find out.

In 2014 Apple released OS X 10.10 and called it Yosemite, after dismissing Weed as a probable name. They have henceforth decided to name the OS on places in the US which is a welcome change from names based on cannibals. So, has Yosemite brought about some significant changes or is it just old wine served in a new bottle. Read on to find out.

Yosemite is different from the time you switch on your Mac. Unlike previous updates which changed little, this looks like Mavericks has got a complete makeover. Visually, Yosemite will be a big change to every Mac user. The icons have been modified and the whole OS has been given a flat look a la iOS 7. In fact, the Share button in Finder is the same from iOS. But not much in its functionality changes and you will go about doing tasks in the same way used to earlier. It did not take me more than a day to get used to Yosemite.

Features like Continuity and Handoff are amazing for users of the iPhone/iPad. I have started writing this post on my MacBook Air at office but since I have to get back home I can just continue from where I left off on my phone while travelling. At home, I could finish it on my iPad while resting. How awesome is that! This works on Apple Apps such as Mail, Safari, Notes, etc. They also have developers the option to enable this in their app. This feature never worked really well for me. Even though it showed the work I had opened on Mac onto the phone, there was a huge lag. I would rather start my work on Google Docs which syncs on any device.

Now, Apple lets you answer calls on you Mac provided both the Mac and the iPhone is connected on the same Wi-Fi network. This featured was very finicky. It worked then it didn't and then it did again. The biggest problem I faced was that even though I could answer calls on my Mac, I couldn't make any through it. Hopefully, Apple sorts out the issues with Continuity and Hand Off as an iPhone and iPad user, those seem the most interesting to me.

Airdrop is a joy. I transferred data from my phone to the MacBook in a few seconds. It works really well to transfer stuff from one Apple device to the other. Then there is the Dark Mode which turns the translucent dock and menu bar from light grey and switches it to black. It didn’t appeal much to me and I have stuck to the normal mode.

The best feature in Mail is the one in which you can mark-up attachments. No longer would you need to edit the photo in Sketch or some other tool. Yosemite allows you to do it in the Mail app itself and saves you a lot of time. Spotlight has gotten much better. It opens on any screen and now searches through all your apps. Just like iOS 7, spotlight has significantly changed.

After trying to draw parallels between Yosemite and iOS 7, which again was a complete redesign, I realised that iOS 7 was so much more. While Yosemite is just eye candy. iOS 7 added Control Centre and made Multitasking much better. A colleague of mine uses a Mac but an Android phone. And, he found nothing in Yosemite that made things easier or simplier. Of course expecting Apple to let you answer calls through your non iOS phone is a bit too much.

In terms of design, Apple has done a great job with Yosemite. It give a consistent sense of UI across all their devices and is pretty. I can only imagine how good it must be looking on the retina display. Apple has concentrated on making it easier to work with the iPhone and the iPad which is a big plus of users of both or either. But this update helps people who are deeply invested in the ecosystem (Mac, iPhone and iPad users). This has just made the whole ecosystem more connected and has given me all the more reason to not switch my phone OS. If you are an Android user then there is nothing beyond cosmetic changes for you.